Try Again
by KawaiiYume4o8
Summary: Sasuke returns to Konoha after 8 years. Who will welcome him back? Who won't? Will contain adult situations in later chapters. Dramatic SasuSaku. Slight NaruHinaShikaInoPlease R&R. Thanks
1. Return

Whatever possessed me to start writing this. I have NO idea. Finals are coming up and I should be studying for them, but what am I doing? This....So, anyways, this would be my first Naruto fic. Just so you know, I haven't written a fic in years...and when I say years...I mean it. This was back when FF.net still had their lovely lil NC-17 fics we all know and love. Anyways, enough about my childhood. - I'm not gonna give a summary of this baby as I think it would be more helpful to read on and find out what happens. What I can say though, is that this story is an angsty SasuSaku fic and will contain adult situations in later chapters. So, blah blah blah, don't read it if it offends you. But, like that really ever stopped anyone from reading these things. It didn't stop me back then. Haha. Anywho, here's the first chapter to "Try Again". Do enjoy and please leave reviews as they do help. Thanks -Yume  
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Try Again  
  
Chapter 1- Return  
  
Ebony eyes stared out at the village below, squinting slightly from the blazing sun overhead. The hot breeze blew his black, dark-blue tinted bangs in front of his face, several strands sticking to his forehead due to the sweat starting to form. Brushing the strands away, his eyes never left the village. His gaze wandered from the rooftops to the busy streets. He had to admit, it wasn't the same Konoha Village as when it was 8 years ago. But surprisingly, the people seemed more energetic than before. When he had left, Hokage-sama had used a ninjutsu sealing technique to defeat that despicable vermin, Orochimaru. Orochimaru had been basically reduced to nothing, his arms rendered to immovable limbs. And yet that bastard had managed to escape thanks to his henchmen, Hokage-sama had lost his life, and the village was in ruins. Shortly after, he remembered...was when Itachi had returned.  
  
His blood boiled thinking of his brother, the one who had returned to search for the power of the Kyuubi...to search for Naruto. Gritting his teeth, he remembered when he was powerless to stop his brother, even with a full-powered Chidori. Itachi brushed it away as if it was nothing. Those times though, were no more. After Itachi fled unexpectedly, he followed, leaving behind everything, having only one set goal in mind. And that goal...had been finally reached. He didn't know how...but he had accomplished it. Those 8 years had been hell. Training, tracking, fighting, losing, training, fighting...winning...Part of him still didn't believe that he had finally done it...finally achieving the goal he had lived his whole life to fulfill.  
  
But...now what? He had come back not knowing the answer. Standing up from his squatting position, he contemplated whether returning was such a good idea. He had left his home, his team, his comrades, his...friends. How was he to face them? Would they welcome him back? Why would they....? It was a chance he had to take, because he, Uchiha Sasuke, at age 20, had nowhere else to go.  
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His head jerked up from his bowl of ramen he was eating as if he had sensed something. Looking around, Naruto scanned the restaurant.  
  
"What is it, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, eyeing his friend.  
  
"I gotta go. Something just came up." Naruto answered as he quickly walked out of the restaurant.  
  
Shikamaru could only form a silent "Oi" as he watched the blonde man disappear outside.  
  
He heaved a sigh and mouthed a 'How annoying' under his breath. Reluctantly paying the bill, he too, walked outside. It was late afternoon, he had better go visit a certain blonde hair, blue eyed girl before he got scolded. She was loud and annoying, he had to admit. What he loved about her...he would never know.  
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Jumping quickly from rooftop to rooftop, Naruto finally reached his intended place. He walked slowly to the middle of the bridge and closed his eyes, his lips formed a slight smirk.  
  
"You owe me a good explanation," he started. "Sasuke."  
  
A quiet "Heh" came from a nearby tree. Naruto opened his eyes and glanced at the branches and saw a cross-legged Sasuke sitting comfortably.  
  
Getting up from his position, Sasuke jumped from his place and landed a few feet away from Naruto. It was then he noticed that the Naruto in front of him looked a great deal more different than the fox-like boy he once knew. He had gotten a lot taller, his hair a lot longer, and his eyes looked a lot more mature and serious. He was Naruto though, his "whiskers" gave it all away. Naruto, on the other hand, didn't notice much difference from the Sasuke he once knew, save the height and slightly longer hair.  
  
"Long time, Sasuke." Naruto began.  
  
"Aaa.." Sasuke answered. Another moment of silence passed between the two. Naruto's brow twitched.  
  
"DON'T 'AAA' ME, YOU DAMN BASTARD! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!!" he suddenly screamed.  
  
Slightly taken back by the sudden outburst, Sasuke could only remain silent. Yeah, this was Naruto alright.  
  
Closing his eyes, Sasuke lowered his head slightly.  
  
"Unfinished business..." was all he said.  
  
This got Naruto more than a bit frustrated.  
  
"Unfinished business you say! Don't tell me you've been chasing Itachi all this time and came back because you've killed him." He blurted out quickly.  
  
Sasuke opened his eyes quickly and glared at Naruto dangerously.  
  
Naruto's eyes widened. "You...Don't tell me you've..."  
  
Sasuke smirked.  
  
"I see..." Naruto answered. This was probably the most he could get out of Sasuke. He started again, "You know, you gotta explain your disappearance to a lotta people..."  
  
Sasuke could only look up at the sky, hoping Naruto wouldn't go on.  
  
"Especially..... Sakura..." Naruto added at the last moment.  
  
Sasuke blinked.

.

.

.

To be continued...  
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A/N- Hmmm...I felt like that would a good place to insert a TO BE CONTINUED. Hehe. I hope you enjoyed that rather boring first chapter, and sorry that it sounds pretty much like the beginning of every other SasuSaku fic out there, but I assure you, it's gonna be totally different and a lot more dramatic. -evil smirk- Please do leave a review and tell me how I'm doing. Hopefully, I haven't lost my touch that much over the years. XD


	2. Avoidance

Haha, updating on the second day. How sad. UU It truly is boring here. Anyways, this chapter may confuse some of you, but rest assured, that is completely normal. I also notice that's its also somewhat NaruHina too, hehe. Not that I'm complaining really, I luv them too- Oh yes, I forgot this in the first chapter....  
  
Disclaimer: I...don't...own...Na...Ru...To  
  
Okay..enjoy   
  
Try Again  
  
Chapter 2- Avoidance

_"I love you with all my heart! And no matter what happens, no matter where you go, I want to be with you!" she screamed to him.  
  
"...........You're...annoying..." he bluntly stated, emotionless eyes glared at her, seemingly unaffected by her confession.  
  
Her eyes widened as tears streamed down the side of her face. He saw her eyes furrow together and her mouth try to form words to his statement. Before she could speak, he jumped to the nearest rooftop, leaving her alone on the street.  
  
"SASUKE-KUN!!!!" _

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That was the last time he saw Sakura, the last person he saw and talked to before he left. To tell the truth, even though he had already known how she felt, he was still shocked by her sudden confession. Sitting by a pond, he threw a small pebble at his reflection and laid his head on his knees. It wasn't the first time he had told her she was annoying, but the look in her eyes caused unwanted guilt to arise within him. He wanted to apologize to her, but he couldn't...his pride wouldn't let him and also...because of what Naruto had said yesterday...  
  
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"I know it's hard, Sasuke. Facing up to Sakura now, but dontcha think you owe her more than just a simple explanation."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.  
  
"I mean...what you said to her before you left that night..." Naruto responded cautiously. He didn't want Sasuke to blow a fuse for thinking he had probed too far.  
  
".....She told you?" He wasn't surprised, Sakura wasn't one to hold her emotions in.  
  
"Well...not the whole story. She never told us what you said to her. She just came back crying and screaming about being useless and a bother to everyone." Naruto continued.  
  
"Oh..." he responded shortly, inwardly thankful that she didn't tell much.

Naruto could tell he was putting Sasuke in an awkward position. He was happy his friend had finally returned, he wanted things to be the same again, but something told him his effort would be in vain. Things weren't the same.

"How...is everyone?" Sasuke asked, breaking the silence, hoping to change the subject. He said it in a way to make it seem like he didn't care, but Naruto knew otherwise.

"Oh. Well, I'm a Jounin now, teaching with Kakashi and training the younger Shinobi. A year or two after you left, the other teams went their separate ways. Shikamaru is still as lazy as ever, he and Ino were now in an odd relationship where the only thing they do is fight." Naruto began.

"Jounin ka....I'm surprised Naruto." Sasuke smirked.

Pretending to ignore him, Naruto continued, "Chouji now owns a BBQ restaurant. Neji, captain of the ANBU squad. Lee trains under-privileged children in the academy. TenTen owns a popular weapons refinery shop while Shino works with his father. Kiba and Akamaru work at the hospital with Hinata." Slightly out of breath and at the mention of Hinata's name, Naruto blushed and smiled a quirky smile that earned him a curious glare from Sasuke.

"...And Sakura...?" Sasuke slowly asked. He looked away, pretending to admire the forest.  
  
Surprised Sasuke would ask that even after trying to change the subject, Naruto quietly answered,"She's currently working with Tsunade-sama, passing out missions, handling paperwork. She still trains hard though, gotten stronger, and also......"  
  
Sasuke noticed his break in the sentence and looked back at him. Naruto's eyes had widened in registered shock as if he had seen a ghost. Sasuke cocked his head slightly, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.  
  
"Naruto?"  
  
Suddenly, Naruto bolted in front of Sasuke and grabbed him hard by the shoulders.  
  
"Naruto, what the hell..." Sasuke started angrily.   
  
"Sasuke!....I can't explain this now...but do me a favor...whatever you do, DON'T see Sakura. At least not right now..." Naruto quickly said.  
  
"What? But you just said..." Confusion played on Sasuke's face.  
  
"Forget what I said...Just do me this favor...if you see her, just turn the other way. Don't let her know that you're back!" Naruto pleaded anxiously.  
  
Sasuke didn't know what to say. He had never seen Naruto act this way and it puzzled him that he would ask one thing, then ask the complete opposite the next. Whatever the hell it was though, it seemed extremely important to Naruto.  
  
"....Alright..." Sasuke answered, still confused about this whole scene.  
  
Naruto closed his eyes and heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks Sasuke..."  
  
Taking his hands off Sasuke's shoulders, Naruto smiled.  
  
"You've changed a bit, you never used to listen to what I had to say." Naruto grinned.  
  
"That was when you were a reckless brat that needed discipline." Sasuke stated coolly, reverting back from the confused state he was in.  
  
Naruto's grin quickly became a frown.  
  
"Hmmph, if I wasn't low on time, I'd retaliate with a witty comment, but I have a date in less than an hour." Naruto stated matter-of-factly.  
  
Sasuke raised a surprised brow. "A date?"  
  
Blushing, Naruto quickly added, "If you need anything, I'll be at the academy. You can find me there. Ja, Sasuke!"  
  
At that, Naruto jumped into the trees, but not before looking back and mouthing, "Don't forget your promise, Sasuke!" as he disappeared into the forest.  
  
"Aaa...." Was all Sasuke could say before becoming confused again. What the hell was that just now?

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Jumping from branch to branch, Naruto felt bad for leaving Sasuke so utterly clueless. But he had no other choice. He remembered the days after Sasuke had left, Sakura had been reduced to a sulking lump of flesh. Everyday, Naruto would visit her, and every time he did, she seemed to get better. Until that day...  
  
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_A knock came from her door  
  
"Come in" Sakura answered.  
  
Yellow hair poked through the door, followed by a cheesy grin.  
  
"Sakura-chan! I brought you some ramen!" a young Naruto beamed.  
  
"I'm not that hungry, but thanks, Naruto." She smiled.  
  
"Ano sa, Ano sa, you wouldn't guess what happened today. Kakashi-sensei and I were walking and I saw this HUGE pile of dog crap lying on the road. Luckily, I was able to dodge it, but guess who stepped on it! Kakashi- sen....." he never got to finish his story as Sakura interrupted him.  
  
"You know, Naruto, you don't have to try make me feel better, I'm doing fine. You bring me food everyday, how could I not be fine." She stated.  
  
"I know, but I just wanna make sure..." Naruto blushed. "And besides, even though you may not act like it, you're still thinking about Sasuke..." at that moment, he quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide with regret.  
  
"......Sasuke...." Sakura replied quietly. Her head was low and her bangs covered her eyes.  
  
"Mmmmph?" Naruto replied behind his hands as he blinked continuously.  
  
"....I hate him...."  
_  
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Thinking of that day, Naruto shivered, remembering the tone of her voice. The way she said those words so nonchalantly sent chills up his spine. What was he thinking telling Sasuke to talk to her? Why didn't he think about the damage that could be inflicted if they were to meet. He had to admit though, that Sakura really did change. She had transformed from a loud and giddy girl into a composed and mature woman. Despite all that, however, as one of her best friends, Naruto still had remaining doubts that her heart had completely healed. But also as one of her best friends, part of him believed that it might actually be, due to...  
  
Checking the time, Naruto quickened the pace. He had less than an hour to have dinner with Hinata and he wasn't planning on being late, especially not tonight. Patting his zipped front pocket, he made sure it was still there. Feeling the outline of the tiny box through the fabric, he smiled and continued to his apartment.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED

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A/N: Hmmm....I was thinking of adding more and continuing on before ending it there, but...Drowsy eyes and suppressed yawns are getting the best of me. I hope you found that chapter somewhat entertaining. If not, sorry ; I don't feel like picking up the pace JUST yet. Hehe. R&R plz, it would help a bunch =) Take care!


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